Review Summary: Every couple summers, me and a couple hunters
like to row in from the isle of astonishing motherfuckers
Hail Mary Mallon is a hip-hop supergroup made up of Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, and DJ Big Wiz(live dj/co-producer). They first made their mark with 'Are You Gonna Eat That?', which presented a fresh take on modern day hip-hop. Combining intense lyricism with a playful stoner persona that immediately stood out from other LPs at the time, 'Are You Gonna Eat That' was received warmly in 2011. However, there were a few issues people had with their debut. Primarily, the album’s sillier tracks like
Breakdance Beach weren't conducive to the album, and were ultimately forgettable. The members of HMM thankfully have taken note of this as they worked on their following project, focusing on a more consistently satisfying ride rather than a few stellar tracks mixed in with a couple jokes. 'Bestiary', unlike its predecessor, works more as a whole rather than the sum of its parts, making for a consistently satisfying record without any of the weak links that plagued Hail Mary Mallon’s debut.
'Bestiary' is something of a concept album. Between songs there is a skit where the three members of HMM find out that their favorite bowling alley has shut down, so they have a fundraising concert to keep it afloat. Here's the twist: the bowling alley they’ve been trying to save has been closed since 1995. This is important to note as it really does improve the overall listening experience. The chemistry between Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic already has a laid-back quality to it that gives the two rappers a likeable quality to them, but with the skits the listener actually relates to them as human beings, with their own troubles, struggles, and stupid mistakes just like the rest of us.
Aesop Rock and Rob Scott work well off each other, transitioning from one to another while keeping the track’s flow throughout. The two MC’s carry their humorous personas well, with abundant pop-cultural references and jokes give 'Bestiary' a sense of fun, keeping with the hedonistic theme of the album’s name. Like in the track
Jonathan:
Hi Jonathan, meet the amazing Hollow Man
Turn a snow globe into a lava lamp
Backyard, black marshmallows on his olive branch
Dressed up like an evil villain dressed up like a soccer dad
-Aesop
I didn't start the fire but I plan to
Dance around it naked with pagans, leggings, and pan-flutes
Shampoo, hairspray, hustler friends
Eat shit, die like it's just for men
-Rob Sonic
The production is just as great. The beats (produced almost exclusively by Aesop and Rob Sonic) have a hard hitting quality to them reminiscent of El-P’s recent stuff, an obvious result of both being from New York and being part of the same hip-hop scene. But this time, Wiz is much more willing to try out new sounds. Take the song
Hang Ten, on which the bassline has a distinctly middle-eastern sounding melody, which gets put together with a U2 sample, only enhancing the track’s cool dark atmosphere.
While it isn't wrong to say that 'Bestiary' is a more "serious" album than 'Eat That', it would paint an inaccurate picture of what this album and the group in general stand for. 'Bestiary' is every bit as lighthearted and funny as its predecessor, but differs in that the group restrains itself from making all out joke tracks, instead opting to make every moment on this album count. From the intense lyricism to the bizarre pop-cultural references, to the vastly improved production, Hail Mary Mallon have shown that they are willing to learn from their mistakes and step up their game. Thus, 'Bestiary' serves as a sign of growth more than anything else. With their second LP, Hail Mary Mallon have cut the bullsh
it and instead are focusing on consistency, but at the same time they more than willing to try out some new ideas.
